


beautiful, i see you

by nicolorenaldigenovia



Series: in all the worlds: TOG tumblr prompt fills [1]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Blushing, First Meetings, Flirting, M/M, Meet-Cute, Nicky | Nicolò di Genova is a Little Shit, Soft Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:28:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28833423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicolorenaldigenovia/pseuds/nicolorenaldigenovia
Summary: Five minutes later, and Joe’s staring at himself because he saw his own damn curls shining as he walked by and couldn’t help but smile. Then, he sees movement on the corner of his eye and blinks, looking at the window, at the man that’s just staring at him.Smiling at him.Smiling at him, as he smiles at himself.Fuck.***or the one where joe gets booked while looking at his own reflection by a little shit of a stranger.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: in all the worlds: TOG tumblr prompt fills [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114157
Comments: 12
Kudos: 172





	beautiful, i see you

**Author's Note:**

> This is a quick prompt fill that I already posted on tumblr found [here](https://theyusufalkaysani.tumblr.com/post/640631202811904000/hi-for-the-meet-cute-prompts-joe-x-nicky-and-44).

Joe’s not vain. 

Honestly, for someone who’s not a stranger to people openly checking him out, he’s actually pretty modest. At least, he thinks. Andy always makes fun of him for still, apparently, “blushing like a baby bitch” every time someone checks him out, a call out that never fails to make Booker lose his shit in laughter, the absolute bastard. 

And yet here he was, looking at his reflection on a closed store front window. 

Because he’s also not blind. Joe _knows_ when he looks good, and right now, he’s most _definitely_ checking himself out. He’s just not good at taking it from other people, especially when it’s because they think he’s hot, and not much else beyond that. 

But still, he tries to appreciate it.

At the moment, Joe’s beard is just the right thickness, and he’s satisfied with the way he had trimmed it that morning, the new beard oil that Nile gifted him settling in quite nicely. It was apparently his reward for finally listening to her when it came to taking care of his hair with a routine she customized just for him, with products that she chose. 

“Now that your hair looks even more perfect, you gotta match your beard with it,” she had said, handing Joe the box, and a new beard kit to boot. When he had sent her a picture of himself for her approval, he just got a number of emoticons and words that he couldn’t even begin to parse through as a reply. He just took it as one of approval, and made his way outside. 

Five minutes later, and Joe’s staring at himself because he saw his own damn curls shining as he walked by and couldn’t help but smile. Then, he sees movement on the corner of his eye and blinks, looking at the window, at the man that’s just staring at him. 

Smiling at him. 

Smiling at him, as he smiles at himself.

_Fuck._

Joe immediately feels his face heat up and he steps back from the mirror with a yelp, the man crying out behind him and stepping forward. There’s a hand on his back then, catching him like he was afraid that Joe was going to throw himself on the pavement in his embarrassment. 

And honestly? Maybe? Because the one time he somewhat agrees with all the people that find him hot, someone, of course, had to catch him doing it. 

Damn it. 

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he hears, and Joe turns to find the man staring at him with wide eyes. Light, sea-glass and ethereal, his lips quirked slightly in a small smile. Joe shakes his head immediately and straightens up, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“You didn’t,” he starts, not wanting the man to feel bad. “I was just…geez, yeah I was staring at myself,” he mutters, lamely, cheeks flushed red. He can see Andy smirking, Booker cackling and Nile jus facepalming in his mind. The man lets out a soft chuckle then, and Joe wants the world to swallow him whole. 

But then, the man smiles at him, shrugging one slender shoulder. 

“I’d be staring at myself too if I had your face,” he says, smoothly, and Joe’s mouth drops open and he swears his face is going to fall off it feels so warm. Then the man’s own face flushes red then, but instead of being frozen like him, he steps forward and tilts his head at him. 

“Nicolò,” he says, smirking now. “What’s your name, Narcissus?” he asks, and Joe’s so taken aback by the forwardness and the _gull_ that he lets out an incredulous sound.

“Excuse me, stranger, how dare you!” Joe gasps, clutching at his chest, and this man, Nicolò just throws his head back with a laugh. 

“I’m sorry were you not admiring your own beautiful face?” he says, and Joe feels his cheeks heat up again, shaking his head. How can this man just easily say these things to him like this? Also, this is new. He’s heard hot, sexy, all the other words, but never _beautiful._ It hits, just a little differently. 

“You’re so red.” 

Joe looks up and glares, and finds the man just grinning at him. When he starts to walk, Joe finds himself moving as well, entranced by this very forward man. “And you’re…I don’t even know what you are!”

“Nicolò,” the man says simply, looking back at him with a smirk. “A man who’s not afraid to say when he finds someone beautiful,” he continues, before pausing to turn, walking backwards now. Joe finds himself rushing after him, putting a hand forward, gently pulling at him, all the while blushing red.

“Careful,” he starts, but then Nicolò just grabs at his wrist, and they’re pausing, close to each other, on the side walk. Then there’s a finger under his chin, and he’s looking into Nicolò’s eyes then, who smiles. 

“Do you know you’re beautiful?” he asks, and Joe blinks, biting his lip with a shrug. He knows when he looks good. He knows that people find him hot. But beautiful? 

“You are beautiful…” Nicolò says, dragging his words, when he doesn’t answer, and waving his free hand until Joe blinks. 

“Yusuf,” he finds himself saying, captivated by stranger. This Nicolo. 

“You are beautiful, Yusuf,” Nicolò says, and then he’s pulling away, and tugging on Joe’s hand, pulling him with him, and his hand is perfect in his, squeezing as he looks back with a smile and a wink. 

“Let’s get to know each other until you realize it, too.” 


End file.
